Brake lever construction



Nov. 16,@1937. R. A. s-ANDBERG I BRAKE LEVER CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 16, 1936 .VE F

RAY A. SANDBERG Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE vBRAKE fLEvEi-t CONSTRUCTION "Ray A. Sandberg, 'Waukegan Ill., assignor to Oakes Products-Corporation, North Chicago, lill., a corporation of Michigan l Application November 16, 1936, Serial No. 110,971 claims,- (oi. v4-'537) The present invention relates to brake lever construction, landmore particularly to dash type y -brakelevers fashioned from double stampings,

110 `Anotl'ierobject yof the :presentinvention :is to provide a brake lever `construction including a .stamped metal leverzproper in which a vspring "housingais 'fashioned yduring the formation of the lever. Y

vA further object :of the present invention is to provide brake lever -construction including a lever in which `is housed a pawl spring, so var- ;ranged as to act against the pawlinsubstanti'al- 1y the direction of Vlength of the lever.

A still further-*object of the present :invention isfto provide Aa pawl 'andratchet type brake .lever construction in which the pawl spningfishoused in the lever proper anda housing fashioned during the formationo'fthe leverproperfromsheet material. Y -ff Y The invention has Tfor. a furthe'rfobject `a :brake `lever construction ofstamped parts so made and arranged as toA minimize the'lobviousness oi the moving parts.

The vinvention has `for another object the provision of `brake lever construction including a stamped metal lever properly fashioned to provide a housing for a paw] spring, anda pawl so disposed withy respect tothe spring `housing that y l the pawl spring acts directly Jagainstthe paWl Withvpush action to maintainrthe pawl in latched engagement with, its ratchet.

The above, other land further objects of the `present invention will be apparent from the fol- 40 lowing description and accompanying drawing'.

Figure-1v is an elevational View of a brake lever l*constructed in accordance withthe principles of the-'present invention. l

Figure 2 is a vieu/,partially in elevation and partially inlongitudinal section, of a brake lever constructed in accordance with lthe principles of the present invention, land vshowing the parts in .normal or latched relation.

Figure 3 is a fragmental view of the upper end l r50 of the lever of Figure 2, showing in full Vlines the position of the parts when the pawl is in latched engagement With its ratchet, and in dotted lines, Ythe lever swung and the detent of the `pawl atop vof the crestof one ofthe teeth of the ratchet.

.555 `Figure l is a 'iragmental visit/partially 'in eleva vation and partially in section through the spring housing,v ofv the illustrated form of 'the lever.' v

:Figure A5 is .an enlarged transverse sectional *view* taken substantially :in the vplane indicated by :line V-V of Figure 2. f

Figure 6 is an` enlarged vtransverse sectional v-view taken .substantially in the plane indicated `byl-lin'e'VI-VIof'Figure 2. Figure '7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantiallyV in .the plane indicated lbyl'ine VII-W110i Figure 2. Thedrawing will noW be explained.

The fform `of 'lever chosen to 'exemplify the .presentiinvention includes va .lever Vproper `A and `an .actuating member B, both fashioned from lsheet material Vinto substantially Ushape,` inr cross section, zand are assembledY with the Webs :in opposition and the `Walls-'of one snugly tting :the walls `of the other, so `that the actuating member may be guided on fthe "lever `proper whenever it is operated in service.

`'Ih'e brakeV lever proper A as formedhas va-Web Vportion I andvside walls 2 and 3, While vthe actuatingV member yB has `.a Web portion 4 and side` 'parts A and B are pivotedtogether byapin 1,

which pivotal point is nearer the pivoted end -of the lever'than it is its 'free end.

The Walls of 4`the lever proper A are extended to provide legs 8 and 9 which straddle a ratchet plate C,l with lthe `ends yof the legs pivoted to the ratchet plate by a pin I0. The ratchet plate vC is provided withsuitable apertures II through which bolts or rivets may pass for securing the plate to a suitable support.

The lever of the present invention vhas herein been illustrated as a lever'of the dash type, that is, a lever adapted to have its ratchet Vplate C Yattached to a bracket supported on the dashboard of a vehicle behind the'instrument board,

with the lever depending or hanging fromr the ratchet plate in such manner that, when in released position, the lever will lie behind the plane of the instrument board and thus be out of the way.

The lower margin of the ratchet plate C is provided with teeth I2, constituting a ratchet.

A paw] D which is substantially right angular to the ratchet plate C. The detentD is pivoted to the legs of the lever proper A by Va pivot I6 at the angle of the legs I3 and I4. The leg I3 of the pawl extends generally in the direction ment of the pawl D about its pivot I6, the walls of the lever proper A are apertured, asv at .I9a, to permit rocking of the pawl D by its actuating member B.

In the formation of the brake lever properV AV portions of the walls thereof are fashioned to provide a spring housing 20, in the lever proper A. The housing is open at one end, that is the end 'adjacent the ratchet plate C, and is'adapted to receive a compression spring 2l. l f f The pawl Dis so arranged and disposed, 'tha its leg Iltis in line with the open endof. the housing 20 and substantially normal to the housingyso thatthe compression spring 2I acts with push action directly Vagainst the leg I4 of the pawl, that is, acts against the pawl in a direction of the'length of the lever A.

f The spring 2I Ybeing a compression spring, normally acts against the leg I4 of the pawl D to maintain the vdetent I5 of the pawl in latched engagement with the Vratchet of the ratchet plate C. At Vthe same time the spring is effective to Vmaintain the lever in any set position to which it may be moved'by reason of the latching engagement between the pawl and the ratchet. Furthermore, the action of thespring 2l tends to maintain the handle'portio'n of the actuating Vthe lever striking the instrument board.

In operation, when it is desired to move the lever to apply the brakes, the operator graspsthe rear or left hand surface of the handle portion of the lever proper A, `and moves it in counter# Vclockwise direction, as viewed in the drawing.

During such movement the detent I5 of thew pawlV will ride over the crests ofthe several teeth of the ratchet until the lever has been moved to desired position, Vwhereupon the spring 2l forces the detent I5 of the pawl into engagement with one of. Vthe notches of the ratchet thus latching the lever in its then position.

To release the lever from applied position, the Voperator graspsV the handle portions of the lever Vproper A and the actuating member B, and by a squeezing action, rocks the pawl D so that its detent I5 is moved out of its then engaged notch,

whereupon,with the handle portion still squeezed,

the lever is returned to off orreleased position.

The pin and slot connection between the pawl D and the actuating member B, permits rocking of the pawl in the manner described, with minimum squeezing effort applied tothe handle poraooaess tions of the lever and actuating member. Furthermore the pivotal connection of. the members A and B, is such that with slight movement of the handle portion of the actuating member B, sufficient pressure may be applied to rock the pawl D, no matter how tightly the brake may be set.

In order to prevent rattling of the parts A and B, any suitable anti-rattle means may be interposed. Y

The anti-rattle means herein illustrated comprises a button 24 of rubber or rubber composition or of any other suitableY resilient material, which button is illustrated as inserted in the trough of the handle Aportion of the brake lever proper A. The button 24 has lateral projections 25 which pass through apertures 26 in the walls 2 and 3 of the lever proper A and extend beyond these walls to bear against the inner surfaces Vof the walls 5 and 6 of the actuating member B.

Thus the button 24 is effective to prevent rattling Vbetween the parts A andB.

In order to assure sufficient resiliency, the button may be hollowed, as at 21, to increase flexibility the action of the'projections 25;

It will'readily be observed, from an inspection of the drawing, that the lever construction of the present invention Tis one in `which the obvious'- ness of the Vmoving parts is 'reducedto a minimum. The spring 2I is almost completely housed, ,so that but a slight portion of the same appears'visible, and the constructionV of the lever proper vA'and the actuating member B is such, as to make these parts appear Yrather indistinctly as separate parts. Y

' A yoke 28 is pivoted on the pin I6 of .thepawl f D for connection between the brakelever and the brake mechanism'of the automotive vehicle.

The invention'has been described Vherein more or less precisely as to details, yet it is to be understood that the invention is not -to be limited thereby, as changes maybe made in the arrangemay be substituted, Vwithout departing from the spirit and scope of theiinvention.v

'Ihe invention is claimed as follows:

Vmentfand proportion of parts, and equivalents 1. Brakelever construction including a lever proper and an actuating member formed as double U-shaped stampings and assembled in pivoted relation with the webs in opposition and the .walls of one snugly fitting against the walls of the other, la right angular pawl pivoted to the lever proper with one leg extending generally in the direction of the length of the lever and having sliding engagement with said actuating member,'and a'compression spring housed in the lever pawl at substantially right angles to said leg to exert a direct push against said leg to maintain the pawlV in latched engagement with a ratchet and to maintain said lever in one position.

.55 proper and bearing against the other leg of the 2. A brake lever construction including a lever -proper and a pawl'actuating member formed as double U-shaped stampings and assembled in pivotal relation with the webs in opposition and the walls of one snugly fitting against Vthe walls lof the other, a pawl pivoted to said lever proper,

plate, a lever pivoted to said plate to swing, a pawl pivoted to said lever, a pawl actuating member pivoted to said lever and having a notch, said pawl carrying a pin working in said notch-for rocking said pawl to unlatch it from its ratchet when said actuating member is rocked in one direction, and a spring housed in said lever and acting against said pawl in the direction of the length of thev lever to normally retain the pawl in latched engagement with its ratchet.

4. Brake lever construction including a ratchet plate, a lever pivoted to said plate to swing, an angular pawl pivoted at its angle to said lever and having one leg extending generally in the direction of the length of the lever, said leg carrying a pin near its free end, a pawl actuating member pivoted to said lever and having a. notch extending in the direction of the length of said actuating member to receive the said pawl pin. in Working relation, and a spring housed in said lever and acting against the other leg of said pawl in the direction of the length of the lever tonormally retain said pawl in latched engagement with its ratchet.

5. A brake lever construction including a ratchet plate, a lever pivoted to said plate to swing, an angular pawl pivoted at its angle tosaid lever and having one leg extending generally in the direction of the length of the lever, said leg carrying a pin near its free end, a pawl actuating member pivoted to said lever and having a notch extending in the direction of the length of said actuating member to receive the pawl pin in working relation, and a spring acting against said pawl to normally retain it in latched engagement with said ratchet plate.

RAY A. SANDBERG. 

